Landrieu Secures $45.9M in Project Investments in Omnibus Appropriations Bill

Centenary College would receive $500,000 for construction of new science building

Proposed Science Building

SHREVEPORT, La.— A U.S. Senate and House conference committee Tuesday agreed to an omnibus appropriations bill that includes $45.9 million for Louisiana projects secured by Sen. Mary Landrieu. As part of the request, Centenary College would be in line to receive $500,000 for the construction of a new science building.

The House and Senate are expected to approve the measure during the next several days. The bill would then head to President Barack Obama to be signed into law. Millions more were leveraged through key legislative provisions and competitive grant programs included in the bill.

Once the bill is approved and signed into law, the College would receive a grant for $500,000 for the Centenary College of Louisiana Health Laboratory Construction Project to make investments in infrastructure and technology. The first phase of this project is to construct a new building near the southeast corner of campus to provide an additional 60,000 square feet of space for the Division of Science.

"This omnibus appropriations bill contains millions of dollars for projects in Louisiana, making a significant investment in our future," said Landrieu. "From Smart Growth transportation projects to funding for critical law enforcement programs, communities around Louisiana will benefit from this appropriations package. These are precisely the type of investments we need in health, education, and infrastructure initiatives during our recovery and rebuilding process. Building stronger, safer communities throughout our state will help bring Louisianans back to their homes and neighborhoods."

Other local projects that would be funded through this bill include:

$12,800,000 to Barksdale Air Force Base for the Phase Five Ramp Replacement. The majority of the Barksdale AFB aircraft ramp is more than 50-years old. Due to weather and consistent use, the concrete has cracked and chipped, resulting in objects that can cause expensive and unnecessary damage to military aircrafts.
$838,300 for the Bossier Parish Congestion Relief Plan, which will improve existing roadways and develop new corridors in Bossier Parish.
$750,000 for the Construction of I-49 from Shreveport, LA to the Arkansas Line.
$750,000 for the construction of the future I-69 from the Texas state line through Shreveport, LA to the Arkansas state line
$300,000 to the Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center, Renewing Science Education in the South project, which addresses critical needs in 21st Century education through its nationally-recognized informal science education model.
$350,000 CHISTUS Rural Health Initiative in Shreveport which will enable CHRISTUS Health to provide primary and preventative health care services to children and adolescents in Louisiana through a rural health initiative.